1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sealing arrangement for shaft and tunnel constructions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shaft and tunnel constructions are regularly composed of individual monolithic prefabricated components (tubbings), between which contact joints are present, which are sealed off with suitable seals in order to prevent for example ingress of the surrounding medium (e.g. water).
Generic sealing arrangements are known e.g. from DE 102005039253, DE 102005039056, U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,309, EP 0222968, EP 0441250 and EP 0995013. An elastic sealing profile is introduced into a groove running around the abutting sides of the tubbing. The sealing effect of the sealing system is achieved when joining the tubbings together in that the sealing profiles of adjacent tubbings, which are opposite each other in the joints, are pressed against each other (compression seal). The restoring forces caused by the compression ensure reliable sealing as long as the generated compression pressure exceeds the external pressure present at the seal.
A problem of known sealing arrangements consists in that, when the tubbings are offset with respect to each other owing to positioning errors, the desired mirror-symmetrical arrangement of the sealing elements is not present and contact takes place between the two sealing profiles only on a reduced supporting portion, which results in reduced compressive pressure. This increases the risk of a leak.